Recently, I celebrated a big birthday. I turned 40! I know many people beyond these years would love to be 40 again, but it really is a major milestone of birthdays. As I was approaching 40, I didn’t like that I was leaving my 30’s. But I am surprised at how much I am appreciating being 40 years old.
God called me to leave my fulltime job as a professor to doing Surf 8 Christians fulltime. We launched Surf 8 Christians in March 2021 (preparation began in 2020), but I still worked fulltime in my career. This was a huge step in faith!
My last day at the university was three months before my 40th birthday. It felt crazy to be at the top of my health career (before 40) to starting over at the bottom of ministry. But there are many people God called who did a major transition around my age such as Joyce Meyer.
I enjoyed parts of my 30’s, but most of them I lived as a non-believer. I gave my heart to the Lord in my late 30’s. Because I said Yes to Jesus, turning 40 now feels like a badge of honor in my spiritual journey. I know I will have Jesus in all my 40’s, 50’s, and eternity.
So, how did my gray hair bring me closer to God? The devil is notorious for taking the Word and twisting it to false definitions or worldly interpretations. Examples include meditation, rainbows, hope, and even gray hair. It seems the world, or at least what I know in the United States, has negatively linked gray hair to things like age and beauty.
First, why is getting older a bad thing? As a Christian, I realized that getting older is a great thing because it means I am closer to enjoying eternity face-to-face with Jesus in Heaven. Second, why is beauty linked to our outer appearance? Jesus sees our beauty in our hearts. We should too.
The best cosmetic product is God’s Glow! It makes you look 10 years younger, takes away frown lines, and brightens your smile!
Dr. Jessica Sapp
If you have Jesus Christ in your heart, you will radiate beauty and youthfulness with your love and joy, regardless of your age or hair color.
To celebrate my 40th birthday, I decided to get birthday hair. I dyed it funky colors (magenta and coral) to resemble a sunset. I have been regularly getting my hair colored for years. In my younger years, it was mostly to have fun colors but now it is mostly to cover my grays. For years, I didn’t mind the effort to color my hair but now it feels like a burden, especially since it is an every-4-weeks upkeep.
With more plans to travel in upcoming years, this got me thinking about transitioning to my natural hair, gray and all. I don’t know exactly how much gray hair I have or my complete dynamic of colors, but I am salt & pepper right now with more gray around my face.
I have been considering this for a few months. Researching options, looking at photos, and trying to figure it out on my own. I realized I was reverting back to my old habits when I was a non-believer. Researching, reading articles, watching videos, researching some more, reading some more articles, watching more videos! But I never prayed to God to help me.
God wants to be in everything. Big, small, and everything in between. Once I realized I was approaching this decision in my old ways, I prayed and asked Jesus to help me. It may seem small, but Jesus is always there to guide you in every step of your life. And He wants to!
Once I prayed, I felt God’s response that He made my hair just the way it is. He wasn’t saying that I couldn’t dye my hair, just that He made it perfect for me.
The next day, I got His Word of confirmation.
The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, If it is found in the way of righteousness.
Proverbs 16:31 (NKJV)
His answer to my prayer was loud and clear to me. I also felt God-confident with the decision to transition to my natural hair.
Going gray doesn’t feel like a big decision to me because it is only hair which can easily be changed. But depending on God in all things, big or small, is significant. I am still learning to depend on Him, and to go to God first with everything. I am learning to renew my mind everyday, and to replace my old ways with new Christ-like behaviors.
I want to continue to grow so it becomes habit for me to live like Jesus, that is, more natural for me to live righteously in Christ. We can reflect His love in all we do. I love Jesus, and I am so grateful for His perfect love!
God has wonderfully made you for His purpose (Psalm 139:13-14). A friend just gave me this message, too, so God is telling me in many ways. I am going to let my crown of glory shine, and embrace my silver hair.
Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for guiding me with all things. I love You. Amen.
Watch our YouTube Shorts video Crown of Glory to see Jessica’s hair reveal.